MLB.com beat writer Brian McTaggart blogs about all things Astros.

Astros 2012 Minor League recap

The Astros sent out a press release Monday detailing the club’s success this year in the Minor Leagues.

Class A Lancaster’s win to capture the California League championship on Saturday night put an exclamation point on what was a highly successful season for the Astros’ Minor League system in 2012.

The Astros saw dramatic improvement in the performance of their Minor League clubs this season, posting the fourth-best combined record in baseball at 439-394 (.527). Domestically, the Astros 417-347 (.546) record was tops in baseball. Six of the Astros’ eight Minor League clubs finished at .500 or above with three advancing to postseason play. In 2011, the Astros’ Minor League clubs ranked last (30th) with a 337-488 (.408) combined record with no clubs finishing at .500 or above. The improvement from 2011 to 2012 was one of the most dramatic of any organization in recent years.

Since taking control of the organization in November of 2011, Astros owner Jim Crane has emphasized the importance of building a strong farm system that will result in sustained success at the Major League level.

The 2012 success of the Minor League system culminated with Lancaster winning the first league championship in the club’s 17-year history. The JetHawks went 8-2 in the playoffs, winning their last five games en route to the title. Tri-City (A), who won a club-record 51 games during the regular season in 2012, fell one win shy of winning the NY-Penn League championship.

THE PLAYERS

Several players in the Astros system had outstanding seasons in 2012 and are viewed as among the top prospects at their positions in all of minor league baseball. Double-A Corpus Christi first baseman Jonathan Singleton and Class Lancaster second baseman Delino DeShields Jr. were recently named to the Baseball America 2012 Minor League All-Star team. They were two of just eight position players named to the squad out of every club. Additionally, MLB.com’s Prospect Watch lists Singleton at No. 1 among first basemen, DeShields at No. 2 among second basemen and Astros 2012 first-round draft pick Carlos Correa at No. 10 among shortstops. Correa, who will turn 18 on Saturday, was the first overall pick in the Draft.

OF George Springer, the Astros No. 1 draft pick in 2011, had an outstanding first full season in professional baseball, hitting .318 with 10 triples, 22 HR, 82 RBIs and 28 SBs with a .955 on-base plus slugging in just 106 games at Lancaster before being promoted to Corpus Christi. Nineteen-year-old OF Domingo Santana also had a fine season in Lancaster, hitting .302 with 23 HRs, 26 doubles, six triples, 97 RBIs and a .921 on-base plus slugging. Class Lexington RHP Mike Foltynewicz, another first-round pick from the 2010 Draft, was named the South Atlantic League’s Most Outstanding Pitcher after posting a 14-4 record with a 3.14 ERA in 27 starts. Lexington IF Zach Johnson led the SAL in RBIS with a club-record 108.

Tri-City C Tyler Heineman (8th pick, 2012 Draft) won the NY-Penn League batting title with a .358 average while ranking 2nd in on-base-pct. (.452). Tri-City starters RHP Aaron West (6-2, 2.04 ERA), LHP Brian Holmes (7-2, 2.57 ERA), RHP Brady Rogers (7-2, 2.89) and RHP Lance Day (6-1, 2.73), all drafted or signed in 2012, played a major role in the ValleyCats playoff run.

RESTOCKING THE SYSTEM

Several prospects were added to the Astros’ Minor League system this season as a result of the MLB First-Year Player Draft and trades made during the season. Several industry experts rated the Astros draft as one of the best in baseball, highlighted by the selection of Correa and RHP Lance McCullers, Jr., selected in the supplemental first round. Correa hit .371 in 11 games at Rookie Level Greeneville after being promoted from the Gulf Coast League Astros after 39 games. McCullers, 18, tallied 29 strikeouts in 26 innings at two levels while allowing just 20 hits.

As part of the organization’s plan to infuse young talent into the system, general manager Jeff Luhnow acquired 17 players in five trades this season, several of whom are former first-round Draft picks. Several had an immediate and positive impact on the organization after arriving. Twenty-one-year-old RHP Chris Devenski, acquired in a four-player deal with the White Sox, hurled a no-hitter for Lexington on Sept.1 vs. Rome, striking out 16 batters in the game. 23-year-old 3B Matt Dominguez, acquired from Miami, is already contributing at the big league level, hitting .292 in 20 games for the Astros with four home runs (three three-run homers) while starting virtually every day at third base since Aug. 30.

Below is a recap of each affiliate’s 2012 season

TRIPLE-A OKLAHOMA CITY: (78-65, 2nd place)

Oklahoma City finished the 2012 season with a 78-65 record and a 2nd-place finish in the Pacific Coast League American Southern Division … The RedHawks finished the year with the best record for a non-playoff team in club history … Oklahoma City fell just 1 1/2 games short of a playoff berth … On Sept. 11, the Astros announced that the player development contract between the RedHawks and Astros would be extended through the 2014 season.

Red-Hot RedHawk: IF Jimmy Paredes hit .318 (161-for-507) with 28 doubles, 13 homers, 59 RBIs and 37 stolen bases in 124 games in 2012 before a promotion to the Major Leagues … Paredes was tied for first in the PCL in steals, secod in hits and total bases (242) and third in runs scored (92) at the time of his call-up … He was a PCL Mid-Season All-Star and was named the PCL Player of the Week on July 23.

Lefty Masher: IF Brett Wallace posted a .300 (93-for-310) batting average with 16 doubles, 16 homers and an .885 on-base plus slugging in 86 games with OKC this year … Wallace hit at .354 (35-for-99) against left-handed pitching this season … The 2012 season marked his third consecutive year with a .300-plus batting average at the Triple-A level, hitting .356 (37-for-104) in 2011 and .301 (116-for-385) in 2010.

Solid Stretch Run: LHP Brett Oberholtzer put up a 2.02 ERA (eight earned runs/35 2/3 innings pitched) with 31 strikeouts over his last five starts of the season … LHP Rudy Owens went 2-3 with a 2.93 ERA (10 earned runs/30 2/3 innings pitched) over his final five starts … Owens was acquired by the Astros in the Wandy Rodriguez trade.

Top Prospect: In six appearances (five starts) with OKC, RHP Jarred Cosart went 1-2 with a 2.60 ERA (8 earned runs/27 2/3 innings pitched) and 24 strikeouts … In his final 18 innings, Cosart ranked third in the PCL with a 2.27 groundball/flyball ratio … He was ranked by MLB.com as the organization’s top pitching prospect, Cosart posted a 3.52 ERA (34 earned runs/87 innings pitched) in 15 starts with Double-A Corpus Christi before his promotion to OKC.

Homer King: In his first season in the Astros organization, IF Mike Hessman led the PCL and the entire Astros system with 35 homers.

Corpus Christi went 81-59 in the regular season, which was the best record in the Texas League and the club’s best record in franchise history … The Hooks made the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season (76-63), when they won the Texas League Championship … Over the final 97 games of the 2012 season, Texas League Manager of the Year Keith Bodie led the Hooks to a 63-34 (.649) record.

On the Rise:In his first full season at the Double-A level, IF Jonathan Singleton hit .284 (131-for-461) with 94 runs, 27 doubles, four triples, 21 homers, 79 RBIs and 88 walks … Singleton ranked tied for first in the Texas League in runs and ranked fourth with an .893 on-base plus slugging (.396 on-base/.497 slugging) … He was recognized as one of the top prospects in baseball when he was chosen to participate in the 2012 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, where he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, one walk and one RBI … The 20-year old entered the season as the third-youngest player in the league … He was named to Baseball America’s 2012 All-Star Team for all of Minor League baseball.

K-Collector:RHP Jose Cisnero led the Texas League with 116 strikeouts before a promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City … In 20 starts with the Hooks, he posted a 9-6 record with a 3.40 ERA (41E earned runs, 108 2/3 innings) and a .227 (93-for-410) opponents batting average … Cisnero finished the season with 148 total strikeouts between the Double-A and Triple-A levels … The 2012 season marked the third consecutive season that the right-handerrecorded more than 100 strikeouts.

Hit Machines: OF Austin Wates and OF Jake Goebbert finished the season tied for fourth in the Texas League with a .304 batting average … Wates, a 3rd-round draft pick in 2010,hit .300 (158-for-526) last year for Class A Advanced Lancaster before posting a .304 (109-for-359) average for the Hooks in 2012 … Goebbert hit .305 (83-for-272) for Corpus Christi in 2011 before hitting .304 (112-for-368) for the club this season … the 2009 13th-round pick added 23 doubles, six triples and nine homers for the Hooks in 2012.

New Arms: Three of the Astros newly acquired pitching prospects made successful debuts in Corpus Christi … RHP Asher Wojciechowski went 2-2 with a 2.06 ERA (10 earned runs/43 2/3) and 34 strikeouts in eight starts with the Hooks … He ranked 2nd in the Texas League in ERA after joining the club … In his final six starts with Corpus Christi, LHP Rob Rasmussen posted a 3-2 record with a 3.31 ERA (13 earned runs/35 1/3 innings pitched) and 32 strikeouts … RHP Matt Heidenreich tallied three wins with a 3.67 ERA (14 earned runs/34 1/3 innings pitched) in seven starts with the Hooks.

Top Thief: Although he was on the DL for the final 54 games of the season, IF Jonathan Villar still led the Texas League with 39 stolen bases … Villar hit .261 (85-for-326) and added 11 homers and 50 RBIs.

Reliable Relief:RHP Jason Stoffel led the Texas League with 27 saves … He went 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA (15 earned runs/58 innings pitched) and 57 strikeouts … He closed out the regular season with nine consecutive scoreless appearances (9 1/3 innings) … LHP Kevin Chapman posted a 6-3 record along with a 2.64 ERA (17 earned runs/58 innings) and 59 strikeouts in 49 relief appearances this season … Chapman was acquired by the Astros in the Jason Bourgeois/Humberto Quintero trade.

The Lancaster JetHawks won the California League Championship after sweeping the Modesto Nuts, 3-0, in the Championship Series … It marked the first championship title in the club’s 17-year history … Lancaster went 8-2 in the playoffs, including a 5-0 run to close out the postseason … The JetHawks finished in second place in the California League South Division during the regular season.

Spring in California: OF George Springer tore through the California League in his first full-season of pro baseball with a .955 on-base plus slugging (.398 on-base/.557 slugging) … The 2011 first-round draft pick out of UConn hit .318 (137-for-433) with 101 runs, 18 doubles, 10 triples, 22 homers, 82 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in 106 games before a promotion to Double-A … At the time of his callup, Springer ranked in the league’s top 10 in average (eighth), runs (first), hits (second), extra-base hits (second), total bases (first), triples (second), homers (tied-third), RBIS (fifth), walks (fifth), stolen bases (sixth), OBP (tied, sixth), SLG (second) and on-base plus slugging (second) … He received mid-season and post-season All-Star honors.

Young-Hawk:At 19 years old, OF Domingo Santana entered the 2012 season as the youngest player in the California League … The Dominican-native hit .302 (138-for-457) with 87 runs, 26 doubles, six triples, 23 homers, 97 RBIs and a .921 on-base plus slugging (.385 on-base/.536 slugging).

Towering Texan: RHP Bobby Doran was Lancaster’s most consistent starter before a promotion to Double-A … The 6-foot-6, 235 pound right-hander from Flower Mound, Texas,posted an 8-4 record with a 3.57 ERA (41 earned runs/103 1/3 innings pitched) and 70 strikeouts in the hitter-friendly California League … Doran was named a California League Mid-Season All-Star.

Power Surge:The JetHawks boasted two of the premier home run hitters in the California League in Telvin Nash and Erik Castro … Nash was second in the league with 29 homers, while Castro finished tied for third in the league with 27 blasts … as a team, Lancaster ranked third in the league in home runs.

Quality Control:RHP David Martinez was one of the league’s top pitchers in the second half of the season … Martinez went 7-2 with a 3.08 ERA (30 earned runs/87 2/3 innings) and just 14 walks in 14 appearances (13 starts) … He led the league in inning pitched over the second half and ranked third in ERA … He also led the club with nine wins.

Ni-Tro Part II: After dominating the South Atlantic League with the Lexington Legends, RHP Nick Tropeano continued his stellar play in his 12 starts with Lancaster … The 2011 5th-round pick went 6-3 with a 3.31 ERA (26 earned runs/70 2/3 innings pitched) and 69 strikeouts … After his promotion to Lancaster on July 1, he ranked tied for first n the California League in strikeouts, forth in innings pitched, sixth in ERA, and tied for sixth in wins.

CLASS A LEXINGTON: (69-69, 4th place)

At 69-69 overall, Lexington finished 4th overall in the South Atlantic League Southern Division … The club recorded a 39-30 record in the first half.

League’s Top Pitcher: RHP Mike Foltynewicz was voted by the SAL’s field managers, general managers, writers and broadcasters as the league’s Most Outstanding PItcher for the 2012 season … Foltynewicz went 14-4 with a 3.14 ERA (53 earned runs/152 innings pitched) and 125 strikeouts in 27 starts for Lexington … He ranked tied for first in the league in wins, secnd in innings pitched, fourth in ERA and sixth in strikeouts … His 19 career wins at Lexington are a club record (previously held by Mike Nannini who had 15 wins).

Delino-mite:IF Delino DeShields set an Astros’ Minor League record with 101 steals this season (83 with Lexington, 18 with Lancaster) … His 83 stolen bases with Lexington broke the previous franchise-record of 48 stolen bases by Josh Anderson set in 2004 … DeShields hit .298 (131-for-440) with 96 runs, 22 doubles, 5 triples, 10 homers, 52 RBIs and a .401 on-base percentage with Lexington … He hit .344 (62-for-180) with a .990 on-base plus slugging in 45 second-half games … The 2010 first-round pick was named to Baseball America’s 2012 All-Star Team for all of Minor League baseball.

Historic Legend: After coming to the Astros organization as the player to be named later in the Brett Myers trade, RHP Chris Devenski threw the first individual no-hitter in Legends club history on Sept. 1. He struck out 16 batters and issued just one walk in his performance that garnered him SAL Pitcher of the Week honors … In five starts with Lexington, he went 2-2 with a 3.07 ERA (10 earned runs/29 1/3 innings pitched) and 38 strikeouts.

100 Club:IF Zach Johnson led the SAL and set a club record with 108 RBIs … The record was previously held by Jake Goebbert, who drove in 98 runs in 2009 … Johnson hit 15 homers and ranked third for third in the SAL with 38 doubles.

Ni-Tro Part I:RHP Nick Tropeano was superb in 15 appearances (14 starts) with Lexington before a promotion to Lancaster, going 6-4 with a 2.78 ERA (27 earned runs/87 1/3 innings pitched) and 97 strikeouts … He was leading the SAL in innings pitched and strikeouts at the time of his call-up.

Take Your Base:From his arrival in Lexington until the end of the season, 2012 2nd-round draft selection IF Nolan Fontana led the SAL with a .464 on-base percentage … He drew 65 walks as opposed to 44 strikeouts … From his debut on July 5 until Aug. 17, Fontana reached base in 34 consecutive games.

Tri-City advanced to the New York-Penn League Championship for the second time in the last three years, and the forth time in franchise history … The Stedler Division regular-season champs recorded the most wins in franchise history (51) and set a franchise record in attendance by drawing 159,966 fans … The club also set a franchise record with 17 sellouts … On Sept. 6, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow announced that the Astros and ValleyCats had extended their player development contract through the 2014 season.

Batting Champ:A2012 eighth-round draft selection C Tyler Heineman won the NYPL batting title after hitting .358 (69-for-193) in 55 games …He also ranked second in the league with a .452 on-base percentage.

Stocked Stable: The ValleyCats had a loaded starting rotation this season … RHP Aaron West (6-2, 2.04 ERA) led the way with 59 strikeouts and the seventh-lowest ERA in the league … LHP Brian Holmes (7-2, 2.57 ERA) finished sixth in the league in strikeouts with 65 … RHP Brady Rodgers (7-2, 2.89 ERA) gave up just 11 walks in his 62 1/3 innings … A 2012 undrafted free agent, RHP Lance Day (6-1, 2.73 ERA) gave up just eight walks, posting a 1.14 WHIP in 11 appearances (eight starts) … RHP Vincent Velasquez (4-1, 3.35 ERA) struck out 51 batters in 45 2/3 innings pitched … RHP Juri Perez went 2-2 with a 1.81 ERA (10 earned runs/49 2/3 innings) in nine appearances (eight starts).

Outfield Threats:OF Andrew Aplin and OF Preston Tucker were both 2012 Draft selections that made successful debuts in Tri-City … Aplin (.348, four homers),the Astros fifth-round pick, was leading the NYPL in steals (20) and ranked 2nd in on-base plus slugging (.978) in his 44 games with the club before a promotion to Class A Advanced Lancaster … Preston Tucker hit .321 (53-for-165) with eight homers and a .899 on-base plus slugging (.390 on-base/.509 slugging), winning NYPL player of the week honors twice … The eighth-round draft selection posted a 15-game hitting streak from Aug. 10-26.

Lights Out ‘Pen:LHP Kenny Long gave up just three runs in 17 appearances, leading the league in holds with eight … Closer RHP Blake Ford was tied for first in the league with 14 saves, posting a 2.28 ERA (7 earned runs/27 2/3 innings) in 27 appearances.

ROOKIE-LEVEL GREENEVILLE: (36-32, 3rd place)

At 36-32, Greeneville finished the season with the club’s best record since its inaugural season in 2004 (41-26) … The Astros led the Appalachian League in attendance for the ninth straight season.

Blazing the Trail: IF Brian Blasik, who was signed as an undrafted free agent this season, hit .318 (69-for-217) and led the club with 43 RBIs … Blasik ranked fifth in the league in RBIs and was named an Appalachian League All-Star … He was also named his team’s MVP.

Rising Star:IF Carlos Correa, the first overall selection in the 2012 draft, hit .371 (13-for-35) with three doubles, one triple and one homer in 11 games with Greeneville … Correa was promoted to Greeneville after 39 games in the Gulf Coast League … The 17-year old hit 11 doubles, one triple and two homers during his time in the GCL.

ERA Leader: RHP Daniel Minor led the league with a 2.75 ERA (18 earned runs/59 innings) in 11 starts … Minor threw 19 consecutive scoreless innings over three starts from Aug. 4-17 that earned him pitcher of the week honors.

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.